You Are Not Alone
|- | |- | colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;text-align:center;" | |} |} |} "You Are Not Alone" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his ninth studio album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995). It was released on August 15, 1995 as the second single from the album. The song was re-released in 2006, as part of Jackson's Visionary: The Video Singles collection box set, where it re-entered at number 30 in the UK Singles Chart in 2006. The R&B ballad was written by American R&B singer R. Kelly for Michael Jackson in response to difficult times in his own personal life. Kelly sent a bare demo tape to Jackson, who liked the song and decided to produce it with him in Chicago. Jackson's interest in the song was also linked to recent events in his personal life. The song's corresponding music video, which featured Jackson and his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley, featured scenes of semi-nudity. "You Are Not Alone" received a generally positive critical reception and was the recipient of Grammy and American Music Award nominations. The song was a commercial success. It holds a Guinness World Record as the first song in the 37-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to debut at number one, and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The track also topped the charts in Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. "You Are Not Alone" was Michael Jackson's 13th and last number one single in the United States during his lifetime. To posthumously pay tribute to Jackson who passed in June, 2009, Kelly included a version of the song on his studio album Love Letter (2010). In 2011, a clip of the song was remixed with the song "I Just Can't Stop Loving You"; the final "Immortal Version" was released on the Immortal album. Production & composition "You Are Not Alone" is an R&B ballad about love and isolation. The song was written by R. Kelly and produced by Kelly and Jackson. Kelly wrote the song after losing close people in his life. Kelly was delighted to be able to work with his idol, explaining "I was psyched ... I feel I could have done his whole album. Not being selfish. I was just that geeked about it. It was an experience out of this world ... It's amazing to know that five years ago I was writing songs in a basement in the ghetto and now I'm writing for Michael Jackson ... I'd be a fool not to say it's a dream come true." Jackson contacted Kelly to see if he had any material available. Kelly forwarded a tape recording of the song and Jackson then agreed to work with Kelly on the piece. On the tape sent to Jackson, Kelly sung "You Are Not Alone" mimicking Jackson's vocal style, explaining, "I think I am him. I become him. I want him to feel that as well." Jackson found the interpretation amusing.7 They spent the last week of November 1994 together in the studio working on the track. Jackson explained that he instantly liked the song, but listened to it twice before making his final decision. Although the song was written by Kelly, Jackson was adamant that the production should be a collaborative effort among the two musicians. The tape sent to him had no harmony or modulations, so Jackson added a choir in the final portion and added a sense of climax and structure to the final piece. The song is written in the key of B major. The song has a tempo of 60 beats per minute, making it one of Jackson's slowest songs. Music video The music video was directed by Wayne Isham on July 12, 1995 and begins with a large number of paparazzi taking photographs of Jackson. The plot then centers around two locations: a temple where Jackson appears in an affectionate semi-nude scene with his then-wife, Lisa Marie Presley, and a theater where Jackson performs the song to an empty hall. Jackson also appears alone in other locations such as deserts and along tide pools. The slightly extended version that appeared on HIStory on Film, Volume II''was notable for scenes where special effects were used to give Jackson white, feathery, almost angelic wings. Several of these scenes included Michael's side having been pierced by an arrow. The other version of the video is included on ''Number Ones and Michael Jackson's Vision. The temple scenes were a homage to Maxfield Parrish's 1922 painting Daybreak. The theater scenes were filmed at the Pantages Theatre, in Los Angeles. Lyrics Another day has gone I'm still all alone How could this be You're not here with me You never said goodbye Someone tell me why Did you have to go And leave my world so cold Everyday I sit and ask myself How did love slip away Something whispers in my ear and says That you are not alone I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay But you are not alone I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart But you are not alone 'Lone, 'lone Why, 'lone Just the other night I thought I heard you cry Asking me to come And hold you in my arms I can hear your prayers Your burdens I will bear But first I need your hand Then forever can begin Everyday I sit and ask myself How did love slip away Something whispers in my ear and says That you are not alone I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay You are not alone I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart You are not alone Whisper three words and I'll come runnin' And girl you know that I'll be there I'll be there You are not alone I am here with you Though you're far away I am here to stay You are not alone I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart You are not alone (You are not alone) I am here with you (I am here with you) Though you're far away (Though we're far away, you and me) I am here to stay You are not alone (You are always in my heart) I am here with you Though we're far apart You're always in my heart For you are not alone... Not alone You are not alone You are not alone Say it again You are not alone You are not alone Not alone, not alone If you just reach out for me girl In the morning, in the evening Not alone, not alone You and me not alone Oh together together Gotta stop being alone Gotta stop being alone Category:Dangerous songs Category:Michael Jackson Category:Songs by album Category:Songs